Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has developed into one of the best players in the NBA, as he aims to lead the Thunder to its first NBA title.
While Gilgeous-Alexander has seen much success, he isn't the only member of his family that is playing well at the NBA level. Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a solid rotation player for Minnesota himself, as he complements Anthony Edwards on a strong Timberwolves team.
The pair will face off in the Western Conference Finals, long time coming for a family that produced two NBA-caliber players, as one is sure to make the NBA Finals. So how, exactly, are Gilgeous-Alexander and Alexander-Walker related? Here's a breakdown.
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Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander related to Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Gilgeous-Alexander and Alexander-Walker are cousins who were born 52 days apart, as Gilgeous-Alexander's dad's sister is Alexander-Walker's mom. The two grew up in Canada together before moving to Tennessee in high school, where they lived together with their high school basketball coach.
"He's been through every stage of life with me — picking up a basketball, to going to prep school to making the NBA, we've gone through every situation together," Gilgeous-Alexander said, via The Oklahoman.
Since they went to school together and moved to the United States together, the cousins' relationship grew to be extremely close.
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"They slept in the same bed, any chance they could be together they would be, they were on the phone together all the time," says Vaughn Alexander, Shai’s father and Nickeil’s uncle, told Sportsnet. "They were linked up 24-7, that’s why they’re so close now."
The two guards played together for Team Canada during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which allowed them to play together for the first time since high school. The players developed a level of chemistry during their childhood that made it easy tto play together in the international competition.
"They have a lot of chemistry. They can finish each other's sentences. They slept in the same beds, argued together, battled together and they dreamed the same dreams and they accomplished those goals," Vaughn Alexander said, via Sportsnet. "They can look at themselves and say, 'Wow, we did it.' They have so much in common, so when they bring that to the court? … I think it's a perfect fit."
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Where is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from?
Gilgeous-Alexander was born in Toronto and grew up in nearby Hamilton, Canada, alongside his cousin, Alexander-Walker. Then, during high school, the two moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to play high school basketball in America before Gilgeous-Alexander went to Kentucky and Alexander-Walker went to Virginia Tech.